Adjustable pedal



Aug. 21, 1923. 1,465,524

B. J. MILLER ET, AL

ADJUSTABLE PEDAL Filed July 1922- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Elenj amin. J. Miller Benjamin A .Mfllen gwuemkoul Aug. 21, 1923.

B. J. MILLER ET AL ADJUSTABLE PEDAL Filed July 1922 Benjamin LIT filler 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EJETLjaminA IU I'LYLEI: 12 ,nomflom/ Patented Aug. 21, 1923.

BENJAMIN J. MILLER AND BENJAMIN .MILLER, 01 BENSON, ILLINOIS.

ADJUSTABLE ,PEDAL.

Application filed July 5, 1922 Seria1 No. 572,809.

To all whom it may concern. 7 v

Be it known thatwe,'BENJA HN J. MILLER and BENJAMIN A; MILLER, citizens of the United States, residing at *Bensominthe county of Voodt'ord and State of Illinois,

have invented certain newand usefulIm-- provements in ACl]L1St Lbl8,PeCl21lS, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved pedal arrangement, wherebythe pedal may be maintained in anadjusted position independent of manual aid; I Y a The primary object. of this invention is theprovision of an improved clutch pedal for intern'al combustion engines of the fFord type, whereby therped'al maybe maintained in an adjusted. position without manual aid, to perform anyof the various functions of said pedal. i

A further and important objectof this in vention isthe provision of a novel; type of clutch pedal, preferably provided for use in connection with internalcombustion engines of' the Ford type 'vhi'ch includes a retaining mechanism that/may be operated in facile manner by the driver of a vehicle in which the engine is mounted, merely by the natural operating movement of the driver. so that said mechanism may retain the pedal in an adjusted position to perform" certain [functions independent of manual exertion on the drivers part.

:1 further object of the invention is'the provision of a clutch pedal arrangement of the above mentioned character embodying a retaining mechanism for holding of the" pedal in position, and including an improved resilient means for cooperation with said retaining mechanism for effecting an adjustable setting of the pedal. 7

Other objects and advantages ofthis invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein siinilar reference characters designate corree sponding parts" throughout the severalviews. 7 V I Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved clutch pedal arrangement, showing the same as used in connection with an internal r combustion engine and the associated v'e hicle parts thereof. 7

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the cooper ating details of the improved clutch: pedal arrangement, I

is; a 'side' elevation of a. foot y Figure 8 is aperspective view-of certain cooperating details of theretaining mecha nism embodied in the improved clutch pedal arrangement. I r 'i Figure 9 is a transverse cros sectional view, taken substantially on the line 9-9 of Figure 2.

Figure 101s a transverse cross sectional view,'- taken through the'clutch pedal arrangement, on a planealtogether similar to the cross section as illustrated in Figure 9,

showing a modified arrangeinent therein.

I "In the drawings, wherein for'the 'purpose of illustration is shown the preferred arrangement of the improved clutch pedal,

proved clutch pedal 'arrangement, which includes thelever portion 10, retaining mech,

anism 11, and foot engaging portion12, which is" oscillatively connected to the lever I portion 10 of the pedal arrangement andfco-' operates with the retaining mechanism 11in e'fiecting' theobjects above set forth.

' The lever portion lO'of the improved pedal arrangement A, is preferably of substantially the same length as the Ford clutch pedal. and is constructed identical withthe Ford clutchpedal at its lower end,-loeing pivoted as at 13 to theinternal combustion .theletter A generically designate the imengine B, so that the same extends upwardly through the slot 14 in the flooring arrangement C; of the vehicle in which the engine B is mounted. The upper end 15 of the lever portion 10 is of fiat disc formation, and is offset slightly, as by an arcuate portion'16, from the run of the lever 10. This-flat disc portion 15 is provided 'With the central aperture -1 8,"and upon one side surface 19 thereof is provided with the rectangular shaped'lug 20, which extends radially thereof inwardly from the arcuate margin of the disc 15, however, terminating" short of the ventral aperture 18. This'surface19 of the disc'15is also prov ded with a Ill)" like projection 21,: which istormed thereon diametri I A, in amanner to be subsequently described In connection with the retaining mechanism 11, guide extensions and 26 are rigidly formed, as by casting, upon the outer side of the lever portion 10, and which are respectively provided with apertures 27 and 28 in alignment longitudinally of the lever 10, for receiving a stem 29 for sliding therein; the lower end of said stem 29 having a dog or other retaining member 30 rlgid thereon, which is preferably of polygonal formation, and adapted for sl1d mg within the polygonal shaped socket 32 of a guide, extension 33. which is llkewise formed upon the outer surface of the lever 1 10 immediately below the extension 26;

j The retaining mechanism 11 of the clutch pedal device A, preferably includes a segmental ratchet 35, which is provided with a plurality of teeth 36' thereon; said ratchet 35, being preferably rigidly connected upon the chassis frame D of a vehicle in which the engine B is mounted, so thatsaid teeth 36 incline forwardly of the vehicle. The dog or pawl member'30 is provided with a pointed tooth 31, which isrformed for cooperation with the teeth36 of the ratchet 35. A coil spring 39' is preferably circumferentially disposed about the stem 29 of the mechanism 11, which rests at its upper end upon the lower surface of the guide extension 25; the lower end of the same ens gaging against a pin 40jwhichis transversely disposed in the stem 29. This spring 39 is preferably under a slight initial compression, so that the dog 30 is normally forced into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 35. In order to provide a compact I arrangement, the surface of the lever 10 against which the spring 39 abuts is grooved, as at '41. to permit the unhampered working of the spring 39 and sliding of the stem 29.

The foot engaging member 12 of the pedal arrangement A is preferably provided with the ordinary arcuateplate 42, and the disc.

' J portion 43 formed rigid therewith. The

disc 43' is of flat formation and provided with a central aperture 44, The foot engaging member 12 is, of course, provided for cooperation with the lever 10, and to this end, the discs 15 and 430i? the lever 10 and foot engaging portions 12 respectively, are disposed in abutting relation so that the apertures 18 and 44 are in alignment for receiving a bolt or screwmember 46. The

surface 47 of the disc 43 which is in abutting said grooves 50 and'51 being separated by a rounded portion 52 which extends up wardly from the bottom of said grooves 50 and 51. Thesegrooves 50 and Y51 have been provided for receiving the rounded rib'21 of the lever portion--10. In order to maintain the facing surfaces of thediscs 15 and 43 in abutting relation, with the locking lug 20 and roundedrib 21in the depression 49 and grooves 50 and 51, a member 55 is provided for cooperation with the bolt 46, to supply, a spring action in the forcingof said discs into abutting relation, This member 55 is preferably of spring metal, and is provided with the central depressed portion 56, which is apertured so thatthe shank of the bolt 46 may. pass therethrough, although the head 57 of the bolt 46 rests within this depression '56. Spaced spring fingers 58 extend from thecentral portion 56'of the member 55 and are arcuated outwardly therefrom,. so that the outer free ends of'said spaced fingers. 58 contact in sliding engagement the outside surface of the disc 43. An adjusting nut 59 isprovided upon the. screw threaded end of the bolt shank, and preferably engages the out} 7 side surface of the disc 15, so that as the" same is adjusted upon the bolt 46 the mem- .ber 55 may be placed under an initial com-. pression for resiliently holding the discs 15 and 43 in abutting relation. An apertured offset 60 is provided upon the disc 43 opposite to the foot engaging plate portion 42, and which is adapted forreceiving a pin 61. This pin 61 is slidably'pivoted in the arcuate slot 62 of a connecting link 63, the opposite end of said connecting link 63 being pivotally connected as at 64 to the top of the sliding stem 29-. r

In operation, when the improved pedal arrangement A is utilized in connection with the Ford type of internal combustion en-; 5

gine, and it is the desire of the driver to propel the-motor B in high speed, the arrangement of the details will be as illustrated in Figure 2, and whereby the dog 30 is held out of engagement with the teeth of ratchet 35, so that the clutch may assume its most rearward position. In this position, the discs 15 and 43 will be in such relation as to have the rib 21 disposed in I the groove 50-of the foot operating portion 12. Due to the resiliency with which said discs 15 and 43 are forced into abutting compressed and tendsqto force thestem 29' rclationby the springdeviee'55, the foot member 12 will be' mai-ntained in the position illustrated in Figure 2, so thatthe dog 31 will be withdrawn'into the aperture 32 of the guide extensions; 33 =and=out of engagement with the. ratchet 35 notwithstanding, the fact that the spring 39 is further ing this-oscillation: of the'portion 121 upon the lever portion 10, the rounded rib of s the disc 15 rides out of the groove over the rounded projecting portion 52 into the groove 51, which operationis permitted by reason of. the resiliency in thespringdevice During this movement, the POSltlOILOf the depression 49 has beensoshifted as, to

havethe' opposite edge thereof engaging the loekingjlug 20, and in which position the- :rib w21 is in the groove 51'v as above men- 'tioned. This movement will h-ave the'effeet of slidingthe pin '61,-downwardly in;

the slot of the connecting link-63, s that the: compressed spring 39'may assert itself and push the stem 29 downwardly. in the apertures of its guideextensions 25 and 26,]

so that'the'dog 30 is placed intoengage ment with-theteethoffthe ratchet The pedal A may then be. :forced forwardly as far as it will go, and duet'ojthe engagement of the dog tooth 31 with the te'ethBG of the ratchet 35, the pedal'arrangement A will be independentlyheld in'its mostrforward position, so thatthe' internal combustionengine B mayruninlow speed, notwithstand ing'the fact that the driver may; remove his'foot from the pedal A An operator may readilyrelease the retaining mechanism 11 so that the pedal A; may assume its natural position by rocking the foot engaging portion 12 upon the lever portion 10, so that the groove '50'of disc. 43 receives the-.ribQl of dise 15. It is; of course, apparent, that the function of the lug 20 and depression 49 is that of limiting the oscil-; lation 'of'the member 12 'uponth'e leverportion'lO, while therounded rib, 21 cooperates in-the grooves 50 and. 51110; define an exact location, whereby the pawl or d0g30- is either in or out of engagement with the teeth ofratc'het In lieu of the type of' spr'ing 55 above described for maintaining of the discs 15 and L3 in abutting relation, a conical shaped spiral spring 66 may be utilized, with its small end engaging a-,washer 67 adjacent a the head 57 of the b'olt'tfi, While the larger end'of said spring may rest against the outer surface of the disc 43, substantially as is illustrated in Figure 10.

Fromthejforegoin'g, it canibe seen that animproved clutch pedal arrangement has been p'rovidedfwhich is particularly well adapted for usein eonneetion with the 7 Ford type-of internal combustion engine, 1

so that the BngineB may run the 'transmission mechanism thereofv at-the various speed mechanismsindependent of manual holding of the pedal arrangement A in any set position. The disadvantages of the clutch pedal ,as utilized inconnection with the conventional type-of FFordi motorare well understood,- since with'the standard clutch pedal as used upon suchmotontit is necessary forthe operator to hold the clutch pedal in a set position by manual exertion. to attain low speed .orneutral. It is ob vious that the improved pedal arrangement A is of such construction as to .cooperate with the natural movement of an operator in attaining thespeed desired. 7 Various changes inthe shape, size and ar rangement of parts may be made-to the form of'the invention herein shownand described, without departing from the spirit'of the inventionorthe'scope of the claims. We claim; I Y

A; pedal arrangement comprising a lever portion, a. manuallyioperated head por- 'tionpivotedto 'theleverportion, a ratchet.

a pawl n ember movably' connected .toflthe lever portlonof said pedal and ,opeiiatively connected to the manually ,operatedwliead portionlwhereby the, pawl member-may selectivelvlengage said ratchet to hold the pedal in a. desired posit-ion and yieldable 7 means for normally. malntaining said lever portion and manuallyfoperated portion in abuttingrelation. a l 7 f l 2'. A zpedal arrangement comprising a lever, a foot engaging portion pivotally conf nectedto said lever, means resiliently fore ing the-facing surfaces of said lever and foot, engaging portion in abutting relation, means on the facing surfaces ofsaid lever to determine, the limit of oscillation of said foot engaging'portion upon said lever, catch means uponsaid abutting faces of thelever and -foot engaging portion for holding of said foot engaging portion in a predetermined location with respect to said lever,

and pawl'meanseoperatively connected to said foot engaging portion of the lever.- 3. A device of the class described eomprismg a lever-,a manually operated portionoscillatively connected to the lever, means re-' t 'silientlyforcingthe facingsurfaees of; the e a lever and manually operated portion into abutting relation, catch means on the abutting faces of said lever and manually operated portion whereby the latter may be retained in a predetermined position with respect to the lever, and pawl means operatively connected to said manually operated portion. r

4. In a device-of the class described,the combination of alever, a manually operated portion oscillatii' ely 'connectedto said'lever, means resiliently forcing the facing surfaces of the lever'and manually operated portion 1 into abutting relation, the facing surface of said. lever having a round surfaced lug extending therefrom, and the facing surface of said manually operated portion having grooves depressed therein which said rounded extension ofjthe lever is adapted forselectively receiving to maintain the manually operated portion of the device in a predetermined position, and pawl means opera tively connected to said manually operated portion of the device.

5. A pedal arrangement, comprising a lever portion having a lug extending outwardly from a surface thereof and having a second rounded lug extending outwardly from said, surface, a member oscillatively connected to said lever portion having a depression therein in which the first mentioned lug of said lever is adapted for sliding and being provided with a plurality of grooves adapted for selectively receiving the rounded lug of said lever, means resiliently. holding said'le ver "and,oscillatingmember in abutting relation so that", the", oscillating membercis normally maintained in a'positio'n in which thelsame isfplaced, and pawl mech'-.

anism operatively connected to" said oscillat ing "member.

6. A device of the class described.v

prising a-lever having a disc shapedihead on the free end thereof provided with an aperture centrally thereof, one surface of said disc head havinga sharpedge lug and a rounded extension thereon, a foot engag- V ing'member having a disc provided with a central aperture, a bolt adapted for ex tension through the apertures ofthe, discs of said lever and foot engaging member for Oscillativelv connecting the same, spring means adjustably positioned ,upon said bolt and in engagement'with' one ofsaid discs for normally forcing said discs into abut ting relation, the facing surfaces of the disc of said foot engaging member having a depression therein for receiving the sharp edge lug of said lever whereby the oscillation of the foot engaging memberupon said disc of the lever may be limited said surface of the foot engaging member disc having a plurality of grooves radially disposed'therein for cooperation in selectively receiving the rounded extension of the disc ofsaid lever,

said spring cooperating with said groove and said rounded" extension whereby-"the foot engaging member maybeheld in a predetermined relation with respect to saidlever, and pawl'means operatively connected to said foot engaging member.

7: A device of the 'class described, com 7 prising a lever having a disc shaped head 011 the free end'thereof providedwith an aperture centrallythereof, one surface-of said disc head having a sharp edge lug-"ex tending outwardly therefrom and beingjprovided with a rounded portion'projecting outwardly from said surface,a 'foot engag- I ing member having a disc provided with a central aperture, a bolt adapted for eXten-- sion through theapertures of the discs ofu said lever and foot engaging member for oseillative'ly connecting the same, spring means adjustably' positioned upon said bolt and in engagement with one of said discsfor normally forcingsaid discs into abutting relation, thejf'acing surface of the disciof said foot engagingmember having a depresslon therein for receiving the sharp edge lug" of said leverwherebythe oscillationof the foot engaging member "upon'said disc'of the saiduspring cooperating :with said grooves andsaid rounded extension whereby the foot engaging member maybe-held inig'a p'redetermined relation with respect to said lever, a pawl operatively: connectedto said lever, a"linkios'cillative1ly connectingsaid I i pawl device'to said footngaging'member;

springmeans for normally forcing said pawl in onedirection, and a ratchet for cooperation with said pa'wl so that said device may be held'in an adjusted position.

8. A clutch ing a fixedly mounted ratchet, a leverpivot pedal arrangement comprisstem and cooperating with said lever to normally force said dog into engagement with said ratchet, a link connecting said stem and the manually operated member of said pedal, so that said dog may be moved with movement of the manually operated 1 portion of said pedal, and means'ifor selectively holding the manually operated member of said pedal in a predeterminedflposition with respect to said lever so that said dog maybe maintained in or out of engagem'ent with respectto said'r'atchet; BENJALHN J, MILLER, BENJAMIN A. MILLER 

